Untitled Sermon

Injustice

Injustice, hated by God

Synopsis

God’s hatred of injustice is seen in his vindication of its victims, his solemn warnings, his penalties against the guilty and his commands to his people to renounce it.

God hates injustice

Pr 6:16–19

Proverbs 6:16–19 (KJV 1900) — 16 These six things doth the Lord hate: Yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 17 A proud look, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, Feet that be swift in running to mischief, 19 A false witness that speaketh lies, And he that soweth discord among brethren.

See also Pr 11:1; Pr 12:22; Pr 17:15

Proverbs 11:1 (KJV 1900) — 1 A false balance is abomination to the Lord: But a just weight is his delight.

Proverbs 12:22 (KJV 1900) — 22 Lying lips are abomination to the Lord: But they that deal truly are his delight.

Proverbs 17:15 (KJV 1900) — 15 He that justifieth the wicked, and he that condemneth the just, Even they both are abomination to the Lord.

God will vindicate the victims of injustice

They cry for justice

Ps 43:1 There are some OT passages where vengeance upon persecutors is called for (e.g., Ps 35:1-8; Ps 69:22-28; Jer 11:18-20; 18:19-23). These are called “imprecatory”. They arose from zeal for God’s honour and from the desire for moral stability in society. They reflect an under-developed view of God’s ultimate judgments and the failure to distinguish between the guilty and their innocent families. In the light of the NT the motives behind these prayers may be applauded but it is recognised that now they are best expressed in the denunciation of injustice accompanied by gospel witness, through which the hearts of oppressors are changed, leaving the matter of judgment as God’s prerogative alone.

Psalm 43:1 (KJV 1900) — 1 Judge me, O God, and plead my cause against an ungodly nation: O deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man.

See also Ne 4:4–5; Ps 94:1–7; Re 6:10; Job 19:25 In OT times a redeemer was a near relative responsible for securing the just rights of a poor kinsperson.

Nehemiah 4:4–5 (KJV 1900) — 4 Hear, O our God; for we are despised: and turn their reproach upon their own head, and give them for a prey in the land of captivity: 5 And cover not their iniquity, and let not their sin be blotted out from before thee: for they have provoked thee to anger before the builders.

Psalm 94:1–7 (KJV 1900) — 1 O Lord God, to whom vengeance belongeth; O God, to whom vengeance belongeth, shew thyself. 2 Lift up thyself, thou judge of the earth: Render a reward to the proud. 3 Lord, How long shall the wicked, How long shall the wicked triumph? 4 How long shall they utter and speak hard things? And all the workers of iniquity boast themselves? 5 They break in pieces thy people, O Lord, And afflict thine heritage. 6 They slay the widow and the stranger, And murder the fatherless. 7 Yet they say, The Lord shall not see, Neither shall the God of Jacob regard it.

Revelation 6:10 (KJV 1900) — 10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?

Job 19:25 (KJV 1900) — 25 For I know that my redeemer liveth, And that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:

God will answer their cry

Lk 18:1–8

Luke 18:1–8 (KJV 1900) — 1 And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; 2 Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: 3 And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. 4 And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; 5 Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me. 6 And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. 7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? 8 I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

See also Ps 12:5; Ps 94:20–23; 2 Th 1:6–7; 2 Ti 4:14; 2 Pe 2:9; Re 18:20; Re 19:2

Psalm 12:5 (KJV 1900) — 5 For the oppression of the poor, for the sighing of the needy, Now will I arise, saith the Lord; I will set him in safety from him that puffeth at him.

Psalm 94:20–23 (KJV 1900) — 20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, Which frameth mischief by a law? 21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, And condemn the innocent blood. 22 But the Lord is my defence; And my God is the rock of my refuge. 23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, And shall cut them off in their own wickedness; Yea, the Lord our God shall cut them off.

2 Thessalonians 1:6–7 (KJV 1900) — 6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; 7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,

2 Timothy 4:14 (KJV 1900) — 14 Alexander the coppersmith did me much evil: the Lord reward him according to his works:

2 Peter 2:9 (KJV 1900) — 9 The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:

Revelation 18:20 (KJV 1900) — 20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, And ye holy apostles and prophets; For God hath avenged you on her.

Revelation 19:2 (KJV 1900) — 2 For true and righteous are his judgments: for he hath judged the great whore, which did corrupt the earth with her fornication, and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand.

God condemns injustice

Is 10:1–3

Isaiah 10:1–3 (KJV 1900) — 1 Woe unto them that decree unrighteous decrees, And that write grievousness which they have prescribed; 2 To turn aside the needy from judgment, And to take away the right from the poor of my people, That widows may be their prey, And that they may rob the fatherless! 3 And what will ye do in the day of visitation, And in the desolation which shall come from far? To whom will ye flee for help? And where will ye leave your glory?

See also Dt 16:19; Am 1:3–4

Deuteronomy 16:19 (KJV 1900) — 19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous.

Amos 1:3–4 (KJV 1900) — 3 Thus saith the Lord; For three transgressions of Damascus, And for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; Because they have threshed Gilead with threshing instruments of iron: 4 But I will send a fire into the house of Hazael, Which shall devour the palaces of Ben-hadad.

God will punish the unjust

Mic 2:1–3

Micah 2:1–3 (KJV 1900) — 1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! When the morning is light, they practise it, Because it is in the power of their hand. 2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence; And houses, and take them away: So they oppress a man and his house, Even a man and his heritage. 3 Therefore thus saith the Lord; Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, From which ye shall not remove your necks; Neither shall ye go haughtily: For this time is evil.

See also Dt 27:17; Dt 27:19; 1 Ki 21:19; Pr 19:5; Pr 21:28; Am 5:11–12; Am 8:4–7; Na 3:1; Mal 3:5; Lk 12:45–46

Deuteronomy 27:17 (KJV 1900) — 17 Cursed be he that removeth his neighbour’s landmark. And all the people shall say, Amen.

Deuteronomy 27:19 (KJV 1900) — 19 Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.

1 Kings 21:19 (KJV 1900) — 19 And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, Hast thou killed, and also taken possession? And thou shalt speak unto him, saying, Thus saith the Lord, In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine.

Proverbs 19:5 (KJV 1900) — 5 A false witness shall not be unpunished, And he that speaketh lies shall not escape.

Proverbs 21:28 (KJV 1900) — 28 A false witness shall perish: But the man that heareth speaketh constantly.

Amos 5:11–12 (KJV 1900) — 11 Forasmuch therefore as your treading is upon the poor, And ye take from him burdens of wheat: Ye have built houses of hewn stone, But ye shall not dwell in them; Ye have planted pleasant vineyards, But ye shall not drink wine of them. 12 For I know your manifold transgressions and your mighty sins: They afflict the just, they take a bribe, And they turn aside the poor in the gate from their right.

Amos 8:4–7 (KJV 1900) — 4 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, Even to make the poor of the land to fail, 5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? And the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, Making the ephah small, and the shekel great, And falsifying the balances by deceit? 6 That we may buy the poor for silver, And the needy for a pair of shoes; Yea, and sell the refuse of the wheat? 7 The Lord hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works.

Nahum 3:1 (KJV 1900) — 1 Woe to the bloody city! It is all full of lies and robbery; The prey departeth not;

Malachi 3:5 (KJV 1900) — 5 And I will come near to you to judgment; And I will be a swift witness Against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, And against those that oppress the hireling in his wages, The widow, and the fatherless, And that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me, Saith the Lord of hosts.

Luke 12:45–46 (KJV 1900) — 45 But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken; 46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.

Possibility of injustice among believers:

1 Co 6:6–8; 1 Th 4:6

1 Corinthians 6:6–8 (KJV 1900) — 6 But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? 8 Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.

1 Thessalonians 4:6 (KJV 1900) — 6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.

Jas 5:1–6; Re 1:7

James 5:1–6 (KJV 1900) — 1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. 2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. 3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. 4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. 5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. 6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Revelation 1:7 (KJV 1900) — 7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

The apparent present success of the unjust

Ps 37:1–2

Psalm 37:1–2 (KJV 1900) — 1 Fret not thyself because of evildoers, Neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. 2 For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, And wither as the green herb.

See also Ps 73:3–11; Ps 73:15–17; Is 26:10–11; Hab 1:12–13

Psalm 73:3–11 (KJV 1900) — 3 For I was envious at the foolish, When I saw the prosperity of the wicked. 4 For there are no bands in their death: But their strength is firm. 5 They are not in trouble as other men; Neither are they plagued like other men. 6 Therefore pride compasseth them about as a chain; Violence covereth them as a garment. 7 Their eyes stand out with fatness: They have more than heart could wish. 8 They are corrupt, and speak wickedly concerning oppression: They speak loftily. 9 They set their mouth against the heavens, And their tongue walketh through the earth. 10 Therefore his people return hither: And waters of a full cup are wrung out to them. 11 And they say, How doth God know? And is there knowledge in the most High?

Psalm 73:15–17 (KJV 1900) — 15 If I say, I will speak thus; Behold, I should offend against the generation of thy children. 16 When I thought to know this, It was too painful for me; 17 Until I went into the sanctuary of God; Then understood I their end.

Isaiah 26:10–11 (KJV 1900) — 10 Let favour be shewed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: In the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, And will not behold the majesty of the Lord. 11 Lord, when thy hand is lifted up, They will not see: But they shall see, and be ashamed for their envy at the people; Yea, the fire of thine enemies shall devour them.

Habakkuk 1:12–13 (KJV 1900) — 12 Art thou not from everlasting, O Lord my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O Lord, thou hast ordained them for judgment; And, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction. 13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, And canst not look on iniquity: Wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, And holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?

God’s people must hate injustice

Injustice forbidden by God

Pr 22:22

Proverbs 22:22 (KJV 1900) — 22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: Neither oppress the afflicted in the gate:

See also Ex 20:16; Ex 22:21–22; Ex 23:6–8; Le 19:13; Le 19:15; Le 19:35; Dt 24:14–15; Dt 24:17; Eze 45:9; Zec 7:10; Eph 6:9

Exodus 20:16 (KJV 1900) — 16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Exodus 22:21–22 (KJV 1900) — 21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. 22 Ye shall not afflict any widow, or fatherless child.

Exodus 23:6–8 (KJV 1900) — 6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. 7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. 8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous.

Leviticus 19:13 (KJV 1900) — 13 Thou shalt not defraud thy neighbour, neither rob him: the wages of him that is hired shall not abide with thee all night until the morning.

Leviticus 19:15 (KJV 1900) — 15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.

Leviticus 19:35 (KJV 1900) — 35 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.

Deuteronomy 24:14–15 (KJV 1900) — 14 Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: 15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the Lord, and it be sin unto thee.

Deuteronomy 24:17 (KJV 1900) — 17 Thou shalt not pervert the judgment of the stranger, nor of the fatherless; nor take a widow’s raiment to pledge:

Ezekiel 45:9 (KJV 1900) — 9 Thus saith the Lord God; Let it suffice you, O princes of Israel: remove violence and spoil, and execute judgment and justice, take away your exactions from my people, saith the Lord God.

Zechariah 7:10 (KJV 1900) — 10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; And let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Ephesians 6:9 (KJV 1900) — 9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.

Injustice should be renounced by God’s people

Ps 119:163

Psalm 119:163 (KJV 1900) — 163 I hate and abhor lying: But thy law do I love.

See also Dt 24:7; Ps 82:2; Pr 29:27; Col 3:21

Deuteronomy 24:7 (KJV 1900) — 7 If a man be found stealing any of his brethren of the children of Israel, and maketh merchandise of him, or selleth him; then that thief shall die; and thou shalt put evil away from among you.

Psalm 82:2 (KJV 1900) — 2 How long will ye judge unjustly, And accept the persons of the wicked? Selah.

Proverbs 29:27 (KJV 1900) — 27 An unjust man is an abomination to the just: And he that is upright in the way is abomination to the wicked.

Colossians 3:21 (KJV 1900) — 21 Fathers, provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.

Injustice displaced by love

Mk 12:31; Ro 13:10; Col 3:19

Mark 12:31 (KJV 1900) — 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

Romans 13:10 (KJV 1900) — 10 Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

Colossians 3:19 (KJV 1900) — 19 Husbands, love your wives, and be not bitter against them.

God’s people must bear injustice patiently

Jas 5:7–8

James 5:7–8 (KJV 1900) — 7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.

See also Mt 5:39; Mt 5:44–45; 1 Co 6:7

Matthew 5:39 (KJV 1900) — 39 But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.

Matthew 5:44–45 (KJV 1900) — 44 But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; 45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

1 Corinthians 6:7 (KJV 1900) — 7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?